Electric Daisy Carnival Becomes First Music Festival in Roblox Universe
Roblox is one of the most popular games these days, and it’s caught the attention of entertainment industries around the
Ivy Griffith
Roblox is one of the most popular games these days, and it’s caught the attention of entertainment industries around the world looking to get in on the action. From actors and musicians to businesses, everyone wants to be represented in Roblox. The benefits are twofold. Having a digital presence drums up enthusiasm among existing customers or fans, and it creates new one among Roblox’s most ardent users: kids. Now, Electric Daisy Carnival is going digital and joining the Roblox universe.
Electric Daisy Carnival Comes to Roblox
Attend a music festival from the comfort of your home with your closest friends and family? Yes, please. Electric Daisy Carnival has become the very first music festival to launch in the digital universe of Roblox, creating possibilities for more collaborations in the future. The festival had an uncertain year after pandemic restrictions forced organizer Pasquale Rotella to postpone it. Now, thanks to the hard work of electronic music event promoter and producer Insomniac, EDC will be kicking off October 23rd-25th, and those unable to attend in person will be able to enjoy the festival too.
In a statement, the EDC organizers explained the way the integration with the digital world will work as the real-world event kicks off: “In the first-ever persistent music festival on Roblox, fans will be able to immerse themselves in the magic of EDC’s globally-recognized festival stages and areas like cosmicMEADOW, circuitGROUNDS, Camp EDC, Pixel Forest and more. Fans entering virtual EDC will get a sneak-peak of this year’s kineticFIELD stage design matching the theme of the festival, kineticZEN. Festival fans not in attendance at the physical event will be able to watch and enjoy sets on the virtual stages in the World Party metaverse. Performances will begin on Roblox starting at 4:00 pm PT on October 22 in a limited pre-show, with the majority of EDC sets to begin broadcasting the following day. The artists themselves will also jump into the metaverse through server hopping and meet and greets inside the World Party experience throughout the festival.”
Rotella adds, “To partner and create with a metaverse leader like Roblox is an exciting opportunity for Insomniac. Bringing people from all over the world together through art and experience is a goal we’re always working hard to achieve, and together with Roblox we are able to expand this into the digital world. This experience takes the creativity and inspiration behind EDC and all other festivals and events to new heights. Bringing our vision to life digitally and opening up the wonder and magic of EDC to anyone of any age, no matter where they are. As we say at EDC, ‘All Are Welcome Here’.”
The platform will stream performances from including Kaskade, Zedd, Alison Wonderland, Louis the Child, Slander b2b2 said the sky, Rezz, Loud Luxury, DJ Snake, Alan Walker, Phantoms, Wax Motif, Oliver Heldens, and Benny Benassi plus many others. Fun activities like races, dance battles, and a chance to build your own campsite will keep visitors to the world busy between songs. To join, head over to the World Party space which is open already and waiting for the start of performances.
Roblox Joins the Real World
Although this is the first real world music festival kicking off in Roblox, it’s not the first time the real world has gone digital. The game has done a great job of embracing creators who want to use the platform for performances and to connect with fans. One of the most recent additions to the Roblox world is Paris Hilton. The socialite and Hilton heiress recently launched Paris World.
Per Variety via MSN, “Paris World, which officially goes live Oct. 6 on Roblox, is described as a virtual oasis of fun, possibility and, of course, #sliving’ (a term coined by Hilton that fuses ‘slaying’ and ‘living my best life’). The new gaming experience includes massive DJ stages, Paris’ own house, a zoo and, because why not, a private jet, yacht and her own personal island.”
Other artists to take advantage of the game’s mega-popularity include Twenty One Pilots who held a virtual concert, along with KSI, Zara Larsson and Ava Max who all ran digital launch events on Roblox.
Especially as the world is still somewhat isolated due to the prevalence of COVID, this creation of a metaverse which can bring people together in a way that’s safe is a great short-term solution. Although bringing the whole world online instead of face-to-face is probably not the best long term, it’s creating fun possibilities that can interweave with the real world.
Future of EDC
And speaking of the future, what’s happening with EDC? This year marks 25 years of one of the world’s premier music festivals, and it doesn’t look to be going anywhere any time soon. Although 2020 and 2021 were headaches for Rotella and the team, it should come roaring back like normal in 2022. This year’s festival is expected to bring in 500,000 people to Las Vegas in person and an unknown number of virtual viewers.
Who knows – if the Roblox stream is popular, this could mark a turning point in music festivals. One of the most important part of EDC is the community, and if they can make the festival more accessible to those who can’t attend in person, it’s a game changer. Tune in on Roblox on October 23rd to see how it all goes down.